Packard Forum Index » General

I ran across this article under "Wire Wheels 101" and was surprised by this statement.

Motor Wheel Corp.Chrysler/Imperial/Packard/Hudson
"With its distinctive dog-bone center cap, nothing looks quite like the wire wheel made for the '53-56 Chrysler Corp. cars. Despite their popularity, they're relatively misunderstood.

First, despite enduring folklore, they were made by Motor Wheel Corp. and not Kelsey Hayes. Second, they weren't exclusive to Chrysler. According to Jimmy at Rally America, Motor Wheel offered no less than 10 different variations of the design to the OEM world for factory options (Packard and Hudson, for one example) and to the aftermarket world as parts-store accessories (early Thunderbird and Corvette for another). Though the wheels differ in several ways, including bolt pattern, width, and wheel offset, the caps are interchangeable due to a universal register."

The article also stated that even though the Imperial bolt pattern was different, the center hub could be modified to fit the Packards and that there are some Packards running around with Imperial wire wheels on them!...GASP! say it ain't so! NO Packard owner would dare taint his cars image with Imperial Wheels!!!

I suspect more than one factory item was shared with cars of a "lesser" lineage. As to the Imperial wheels, I don't have any idea what mods are needed but wouldn't surprise me.

I wound up with a set of wires which were installed on a Packard by virtue of a mickymouse spacer plate. Used to be a well known company here that did wire wheel restoration so took them in for evaluation. Don't remember the details or the brand car they were for but company said for the proper Packard fit without spacer, only thing needed was a center hub change which they could do easily when they were apart for chroming. Never pursued it then because of cost and still have the wheels in the shed. Hate to think what it would cost today and the company is long gone.

Howard, I have ten Packard wire wheels and more than that regular steel wheels. All of them are "Motor Wheel". I had four wire wheels rebuilt by Ryan Ligget of Fresno who did a great job and also sealed them for tubeless tires, something that Dayton Wire Wheel will not do. Their lawyer probably advised them not to do this. I still have the shipping cartons from Fresno downstairs. Just an old packrat at heart.
Cost today to rebuild a wire wheel from Dayton is $650.00.

Randy,

Can you provide information on how to contact Randy Ligget ?
How long ago did you have the work done ?

Thanks

If memory serves me correctly, Kelsey-Hayes purchased Motor Wheel Corp. some time in the mid-50s.

I think KH bought MW sometime in the early 60's, BUT I wouldn't bet money on it.
In answer to Pack120C, I doubt if Ryan Ligget is still alive, let alone doing any wheel restoration. Howard would know better than me. I believe that was who he was referring to when he said a "well known" company.
I had the wheels done in 93 or 94.

I was wrong by about a decade.
mwlofts.com/residential/motorwheel/history.php

Recent History

By 1964, Motor Wheel had become a subsidiary of Goodyear Tire and Rubber. In 1974, Hayes Wheels acquired Motor Wheel through a transaction which was valued at $1.1 billion and the following year, the factory known as Plant 1, was vacated.

Don't remember the company name of the fellow Randy mentioned that was doing the wire wheels but was closed or bought out long ago. I think it was incorporated into a company out of LA area.

The boxes say
"WIRE WHEELS"
"H STREET"
FRESNO, CA AND A ZIP CODE
But as Howard says - GONE A LONG TIME AGO.

Thanks Randy for that link with a bit of history on Motor Wheel. I stand not only corrected and better informed. As an aside, Motor Wheel was the maker of many standard Packard prewar wheels - the 17" wire spokes on my 34 are clearly marked with their name. If the opportunity presents itself I'll examine the 33-36 17" wooden artillery and steel disc wheels to see if I can find a manufacturer's name on them. 1936 was the last year for the wooden artillery wheel and it and the disteel wheel are seldom seen.